Grant Cottage State Historic Site Preserves the Place Where Ulysses S. Grant Spent His Final Days

On June 16th, 1885, former President and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant arrived at a cottage on Mount McGregor in the town of Moreau, outside of the resort town of Saratoga Springs, New York. But Grant was not there as a tourist; he was dying of throat cancer and his doctors felt that getting out of New York City in the middle of a sweltering summer would at least make the general more comfortable. New York banker Joseph Drexel, a friend of Grant, offered his private cottage to Grant for this purpose.

Grant’s Cottage at Mount McGregor NY

Grant was in the process of writing his memoirs when he moved to the cottage, and it was here that raced against the clock to finish them. The author Mark Twain offered to act as publisher and marketer of the book, and not only presented Grant with enormously favorable terms based on sales, but he also gave him $25,000 advance. Twain believed the memoirs would be a huge success, and he turned out to be right. Grant completed the second of the two volume memoirs on July 18th, and upon publication, was a critical and financial success. The Grants had suffered some financial troubles (mostly from swindlers), and sales of the book provided financial security for his widow Julia for life, including $450,000 in royalties in the first three years of publication. The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant is considered one of the finest military memoirs ever published.

Besides writing, Grant also received visitors at the cottage, and enjoyed the views of the surrounding mountains from the property. He was given medical treatment, mostly for comfort, as he was aware that his cancer was terminal. Grant died on July 23rd, 1885, just five days after completing his memoirs. Civil War veterans and other Grant admirers made pilgrimages to the cottage for many years afterward. The cottage was declared a New York State Historic Site in 1957, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2021.

U.S. Grant at Mount McGregor, four days before his death according to the Library of Congress

Visiting the Grant Cottage State Historic Site

The Grant Cottage State Historic Site is located at 1000 Mt. McGregor Rd, Wilton, New York. The 43 acre site includes the cottage, a visitor center with gift shop, some hiking trails through the woods. There is no fee for the grounds or visitor center; there is an admission fee to tour the cottage. Tours of the cottage are conducted by guides.

The cottage today is almost entirely the way it was in Grant’s time there. Much of the furniture from his stay is there, including the bed he died on, complete with the bed linens that were on the bed at the time. Medical equipment, chairs, dishes, and some of Grant s clothing are on display. A clock stopped at 8:08 by the president s son Fred is on the mantle, marking the time Grant died. Several dried flower arrangements from Grant s funeral are also preserved in the cottage.

U.S. Grant’s deathbed, with original bed linens. The water stains are from a later time.

Dried flower arrangements from Grant’s funeral

The Grant Cottage State Historic Site is open seasonally from May through October. For the specific season dates, closures, and special events, see the Grant Cottage Website. Tickets may be purchased online at the website.